In a world where phrases like “Fake News”, misinformation, and disinformation run rampant, the rise of falsified information has infiltrated nearly every part of our daily lives. Whether you’re looking for information related to the latest vaccine, political poll, celebrity news, local alerts, or even online sales, the amount of misinformation and disinformation on the internet is at an all-time high making it even more difficult to stay accurately informed. According to scholars at Purdue University, “misinformation” and “disinformation” are often used interchangeably when in reality they both hold different meanings and connotations. Misinformation is loosely defined as untrue, or semi-truthful content presented as fact. In contrast, disinformation is untrue, or semi-truthful content with the deliberate intent to influence an audience. While both are used interchangeably, it is vitally important to understand the main difference between these forms of content and accurate, fact-checked information.
Compared to 2021, a 2023 study found that most Americans still consider misinformation and disinformation to be major problems, particularly to larger framed issues like border security (57%), national budget (56%), climate change (55%), domestic terrorism (44%), and international terrorism (43%). Since then, scholars interested in combating against and equipping citizens to become better-informed citizens have pinpointed certain topics and issues that tend to become more dramatized; resulting in a divide amongst audiences.
With reports detailing that nearly 4-in-10 Americans see mis/disinformation every day, more citizens are asking how they, too, can combat mis/disinformation as individual citizens. Here are a few simple ways you can help.
1. Educate Yourself
Understanding what mis/disinformation is and how it spreads can be the best way to combat it and become a more informed citizen overall. You can do this by learning to spot common tactics such as fake news, deep fakes, and manipulated images. Fake news is information (not individuals or organizations) that is clearly and demonstrably fabricated and that has been packaged and distributed to appear as legitimate news. As such, fake news purveyors are websites, social media pages, and accounts that share fake news stories typically associated with their political agenda. Fake news can include aspects such as deep fakes, AI-generated videos that utilize various images, audio clips, and people to create fake events or situations, or even manipulated images. However, figuring out how to spot these can be nearly impossible without the proper tools.
Acclaimed online games like Bad News teach the tactics of creating (and spotting) fake news by putting players in the role of producers of misinformation and fake news in return for badges awarded to the “masters of disinformation.” Other tools can include watching academic videos and news documentaries on how fake news came to be and how to discern it.
2. Read Credible Resources
Let’s face it: Finding an article that sounds credible is easy. However, finding a credible article can be quite difficult. Generally speaking, there are five criteria to consider when evaluating information. These criteria are authority, currency, content, accuracy, and bias. To decipher between the five, make sure you ask yourself the following questions:
Authority
- Who is the author? Are they an expert in their field and the topic?
- Who is the publisher?
Currency
- When was the article/book published?
- Is the publication date right for your needs?
Content
- Is the information relevant to your topic of interest?
- Is it written in academic language?
- How valuable is the information to your topic?
Accuracy
- Can you verify the accuracy of other sources?
- Do you recognize the authors and players in the story?
- Is it peer-reviewed or edited by someone else?
Bias
- Is the research sponsored by an organization?
- Is the author trying to sell or push a product or service?
While it may seem like a drag, asking yourself these questions when looking for verified information can help you distinguish fact from biased fiction. In fact, there are verified comparison charts listing a spectrum of top publishers and news organizations based on their accuracy and bias. Using these charts can help you gain insight into how well-balanced your source of information is. Lucky for you, ACU Online gives you access to some of the most credible news resources for free – giving you the chance to start reading and becoming a more informed citizen early. Resources include a subscription to the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
3. Stay Updated On The Latest Mis/Disinformation Alerts
According to studies, social media websites tend to spread the largest amount of manipulated news. From Facebook posts to TikToks, it’s vitally important to stay alert and not click on news you suspect is falsified. These typically look like small notices indicating a potentially fabricated headline or complete hack into your accounts to spread misinformation about you or your loved ones. Overall, make sure to utilize your best judgment, or ask a librarian or professor to help you distinguish whether your article is credible or not.
Becoming a more informed citizen can be difficult – but it’s far from impossible. Like everything, it requires constant training and vigilance in your media and information consumption. It may seem tiring and tedious at first, but it can save you from headaches and heartaches in the long run.
Learn more about ACU’s resources for students looking to become informed readers by visiting our website today.